


Painful Memories

by Murderbirb



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hornet is sad, Hurt No Comfort, PK was a good dad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:35:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29102652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Murderbirb/pseuds/Murderbirb
Summary: The Infection is gone. Her siblings are safe. Her mother is at peace.So why does she feel so broken?Hornet returns to the White Palace after the infection and recalls her past with her father.
Relationships: Herrah the Beast/The Pale King (Hollow Knight), The Hollow Knight | Pure Vessel & Hornet & The Knight, The Pale King/White Lady (Hollow Knight)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 28





	Painful Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ghost brings back the Palace and Hornet recalls a memory.

Hornet and Hollow were waiting at the wrecked remains of the White Palace. Ghost had asked them to meet them there in an hour, claiming that they had to grab some stuff first. Now, they were there, waiting for Ghost. Thankfully, it didn’t take Ghost long to arrive as they saw them exiting from the hidden station. Hornet waited for Ghost to reach them both before she spoke. “So, why did you want us to come here?” 

Ghost quickly began to sign in response. “I think that there is a way to bring back the Palace.” They pulled out their dream nail, before Hollow and Hornet gave them a confused look. Hollow began to sign. “What’s your plan for doing that?” Ghost gave out a sigh before signing back. “I think that there is something anchoring the Palace to the dream realm. If I’m able to remove the anchor, the Palace should return.” Though Hollow seemed satisfied with the answer, Hornet still looked confused. “Wait, if all you needed is your dream nail, then why did we have to wait an hour before coming here?” Hornet looked suspiciously at Ghost. We’re they hiding something? Ghost, however, just reached into their cloak and pulled an item out. A jar of lifeblood. Of course. Ghost always said that the Palace was a death trap, so it made sense that they’d bring something with healing properties. 

Ghost then turned around and faced the broken Kingsmould, but first signed back at Hollow and Hornet. “It may take a while.” Hollow waved back while Hornet spoke. “Just try to be safe, ok?” Ghost nodded before striking the kingsmould and they vanished into essence. While Hollow sat down, ready to wait for Ghost, Hornet looked back at the ruins. The ruins of a place she called home. 

——————————————————————

“Haha! C’mon Zhevir! I thought you said you were ready for a race?” Hornet was running quickly through the Royal Waterways, as another figure was behind her, moving at a slower pace.

“Very funny, Prinzezzz. Unlike you, I don’t have unlimited zztamina.” The Hive Knight was behind her, right on her tail, yet the little spider was still faster, as she leaped of a ledge and began hopping down the shaft of the elevator to the Ancient Basin. 

Ever since her mother was sealed, the custody of Hornet was given to Queen Vespa. Even though Hornet loved living in the Hive, she still was only allowed to see her father when he visited, and he didn’t make many trips to the Hive. Sadly, Hornet’s plan of just sneaking out of the Hive to see her father didn’t work as well as when she was still in Deepnest, as she didn’t remember the layout of the Hive as well as she did with Deepnest. There were also the many Hiveling scouts that would no doubt report her escape to the Queen. Hornet had nearly given up on escaping to see her dad, until she asked Hive Knight for help, and he accepted. He knew the layout of the Hive like the back of his hand and he was high ranking enough that he could go by scouts and sentries and not be suspected of anything. All Hornet needed to do was stick with him and hide when he was dealing with sentries and scouts. 

This was about the 3rd time they left to see her dad and this time, Hornet challenged the Knight to a race. The moment that Hive Knight accepted the challenge, he had lost. Hornet isn’t very keen on losing bets, ESPECIALLY races. 

As Hornet slid down the shaft that lead to the Basin, she could only think about how excited she was to see her dad again. He was always happy to see her, but over her visits, she noticed that he would be less and less joyful around her. He would stare off into space when he was alone. He seemed like he needed some help, and she wanted to check up on him.

It didn’t take long for her to reach the basin, and it was a short dash to reach the Palace. She was able to get farther ahead from Hive Knight since she was better at navigating it. She quickly ran over and- 

The Palace was gone. 

It just wasn’t there. 

Hornet stared, wide-eyed, at the scene in front of her. All that remained of the Palace was the front gate and rubble. Zhevir quickly reached her after a few seconds, obviously winded, “Prinzezzz, *huff*, you can’t juzzt, *huff*, run off like tha....oh no.” He saw it as well. The Palace was indeed gone. 

“No.” Hornet spoke, tears beginning to well up, “Nonononono!” She ran into the rubble, Hive Knight calling out, “Prinzezzz!” It didn’t matter if he tried to stop her, she refused to accept that the Palace was gone, that her father could be dead. 

She dug through the rubble for felt like hours. She searched, hoping that this was some type of dream or illusion. And, if it was true that the Palace was destroyed, she hoped to find even a SIGN of her father’s survival. Yet, all she found was rocks, metal, and.....shredded pieces of robes. It took so long for her to give up, but when she did, she broke apart. She curled up and laid on her side, crying her eyes out. Hive Knight simply kneeled beside her. He wished that he could help her, but he worried that he would only hurt her more. She didn’t get back up for hours and they only went back to the Hive because a search party was sent to look for them. 

——————————————————————

Hornet was snapped out of her memories when she felt that she was being shook. When she was snapped out, she was meet with the face of Hollow, who was trying to sign to her. She couldn’t make it out, as it looked too blurry, but she quickly noticed why. 

She was crying. 

Hornet quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, before reading what Hollow was signing to her. “Are you ok?” Hollow asked. Hornet sighed before responding. “I’m fine, Hollow. I was just....recalling some memories. It’s nothing for you to worry about.” Hollow looked suspiciously at her, but chose to just go back to waiting. Hornet wasn’t the most comfortable with speaking about her past, and Hollow didn’t want to push her. 

They had to wait for nearly another hour. Hornet was starting to lose her patience, but she knew it would take a while. She wondered how exactly Hollow was so calm while waiting, until she remembered that they were used to standing still for hours on end. She looked back at the wreckage, before feeling something. 

Tremors. 

Hornet quickly stood up after feeling it, and the tremors became much more intense. What was going on? She was trying to keep balance, but she kept teetering to the side as the ground shook. She turned over to look at Hollow, who seemed to be handling it far worse, since they couldn’t keep balance as easily. She began to move over to them, before a bright flash glared at them from the wreckage of the White Palace. They both close their eyes, until the tremors stopped. When they opened their eyes again, they were greeted with something they never thought they’d see again. 

The White Palace. 

They were both in awe. Ghost brought back the Palace! But how? Hornet shook off that thought as she stepped in, Hollow slightly behind her. They barely stepped in when they saw Ghost again. But, along with them, there was another. 

The Pale King.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This and chapter 2 were meant to be the same chapter, but I decided to split into 2 for the sake of laziness.


End file.
